Investigators say the transactions were taking place at public places, with drugs and money being exchanged at a school in Aurora and a Starbucks in Castle Rock, all in the middle of the day.

“This should be an eye opener to the state of Colorado about what is the the true state of our situation is involving drug cultivation and distribution in Colorado. Whoever is telling you that we’ve got this ‘thing’ figured out and it’s under wraps and all the regulations are good to go and we’re operating as efficiently and lawfully as we can, is nonsense and this case is proof of that,” said 18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler.

18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler (credit: CBS)

“What we’re seeing is a massive exploitation of the current laws on the books. The extended plant count, literally, has hijacked the medical marijuana laws. And it has allowed people to grow, unfettered, as much marijuana as they want,” said Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police Chief John Jackson.

Law enforcement says the operations are happening in neighborhoods across the Denver metro area and when the criminals aren’t following building codes, hijacking water, electricity and pumping chemicals into the sewer system, it impacts everyone.